Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office investigating early-morning shooting

Doa Ana County Sheriff’s investigators are looking for a suspect following a shooting that happened in the 3300 block of Winterhaven early Friday morning.

According to court documents, a woman called 911 just before 4:30 a.m. to say she was taking a 21-year-old male to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper torso.

The woman then met an ambulance at the corner of Picacho Avenue and Valley Drive. The victim, later identified as Vicente Hernandez, Jr., was taken to University Medical Center in El Paso.

Sheriff’s deputies went to the victim’s house, where they were charged at by a dog that was in the yard. In an effort to defend himself, a deputy fired a fatal shot at the dog.

A trail of blood led deputies to a mobile home a few doors down from Hernandez’s house. A search warrant was then obtained for evidence investigators believe is inside the neighboring residence. Deputies with the Doa Ana County Sheriff’s Special Response Team executed that warrant early Friday morning.

Investigators said the victim and shooter do know each other. Investigators believe the shooting is drug-related.

Investigators have not named a suspect in the shooting.